Runners, how you doing?

I am really enjoying my running at the moment and getting a lot from it, injuries are a constant issue though. Up until maybe 3 months ago I remained virtually injury free but since then its been like a cascade.

I had chronic tendonitus in my achilles that has developed into tendonosis. I have physio twice a week to correct this which is one of the most painful things ever, but needs to be done because if I don't I tend to land heavy on my left foot which in turn aggravates my hip and back.

Well done on getting started again, I think mentally getting going again is harder than the physical aspect.

It's a pain in the <insert appropriate bit of anatomy> how that happens, isn't it? Ankle goes, knee goes, hip goes...

I was doing okay until I got ill, now haven't run for a week. We're going to do sprints at the track tonight which should be fun. I need to seriously step things up though, I haven't done anything longer than about 8k for months.

Another one who is enjoying running at the mo. I am more consistent than I have ever been in the past and I have seen a massive improvement in my fitness. I ran 10km this morning in an hour dead on, so feeling a little weary now. It used to be a dream a) to run for that long and b) to run that far.

Day off tomorrow as I am at work 7am-7pm then back out and about on Friday

Keep up the good work girls!!

I'm not enjoying it at the moment. A few months ago, I could run 13 miles. I'm now struggling with anything more than 3 miles a couple of times a week. I've been plagued with injuries (inner shin then outer shin then calf then hip then bum... every time I think I'm over it, another part of my leg starts niggling ).

I'm now learning how to run properly to try and combat these injuries. I find it bloody difficult - I like to have a time or distance to train for, and not having it makes me very unmotivated. I'm hardly getting out of the door at the moment. I'm fat and unfit and crap at running. <sob>

I think that having to change something that should be natural is a very hard thing to do and can be very demoralising.

When I was young I used to race Karts, I was very good at it and had a style that suited them very well. When I was 18 I entered a saloon series and found that I just couldn't do it like I wanted to. I was quick but couldn't bring the car home. Anyway, basically, I had to learn how to drive again and start to think about what I was doing as opposed to just letting it happen.

I hated it and found it almost impossible. Almost every week, I would tell my dad that I had had enough and wanted to quit. However, whilst I cannot say when exactly, at some point I stopped thinking about the new techniques and they became my normal. I guess what I am saying is stick with it and eventually you will have a style that enables you to run without fear or risk of injury. When that happens, the results will far out weigh the misery that you feel now.

I've hit a brick wall with mine - was really enjoying it and getting close to being able to run the full 5k ready for my race for life next week. I've been staying in hotels working for the last 2 weeks and working looooong days and although I've had a couple of opportunities to get to the gym if not outside for a run I've just chickened out and gone for a sleep instead. Add to that eating crappy hotel food, drinking too much wine, my legs are tired after going up a single flight of stairs so I'm frankly disgusted with myeslf and more than a little worried about the race next week.

\apart from that, everything's just peachy !!

I'm still doing physio but I'm back on the treadmill now and building up oh so slowly. Monday I did 5 mins, today I managed 7.5mins and I'm aiming for 10 mins on Friday. It's painfully slow but at least it's not painful!! One more week on the treadmill and hopefully the week after next I'll be able to attempt a road run .... a mere 6 months since my last one!

I'm a runner who can't run due to having a cyst removed off my foot 2 weeks ago, I am dying to get back out there. But fear that it will be a while as I have to have physio on my foot because I am getting horrible nerve pain, its a pile of poo.

Thanks Lannie - it's just a case of getting over this spell of demotivation, and my new style becoming more natural. I want to be evangelical about running again!

I'm sure you'll get your mojo back soon Mrs W. I'm embarking on a half marathon training plan although I'm slightly apprehensive at the moment - I want to get down to consistent 10 minute miles for the Birmingham HM at the end of October but to do that I've got to lose at least another couple of stone and also get rid of various niggles (the latest being a pain in my right hip). That said, I'm enjoying it and I've been out for a couple of brisk 5k runs over the past week. I've also persuaded Mrs Greenback to do a 10k with me in early October too.

Oooh, I used to travel around the country with my mate who raced karts. I have fond memories of pushing him off in his Formula TKM ?

you can get help for that you know! Running, an enjoying it is just not natural!

Good luck with your 10k though, hope you raise plenty of money for your aunties cause! I did 5k for Race for Life on sunday and STILL aching now. Managed it in 29 minutes though.. not bad for the mosty unfit person ever!

Baron - loml wrote on his blog that we're considering doing the Birmingham half, two weeks after Royal Parks. This was news to me ? but it seems it's on the cards.

H has registered to do the Birmingham Half so I can cheer you all on at the same time. He asked if I fancied running it with him? Oh how I laughed!

Got the Great Capital Run (10k) in 3 and a half weeks, so I'm working on building up my time and distance from 5k. I'm finding it OK actually, it seems like after I've done about 35 minutes running I really find my zone and it suddenly all gets easier. So if I could just find a way of getting to 35 minutes without actually having to run them......

Sorry, now I've had a chance to log back on.

Injuries is something I'm dreading. So sorry some of you are having problems with this.

Lannie* you're right when you say mentally getting going again is harder than the physical aspect. I completely agree with this. This is why I'm so glad it was an off chance that I started back yesterday. I didn't have time to think about it, just had to get ready and go. Really glad I did.

SophieM, hope you have fun at the track. It's crap when you're ill. I'm sure you'll get back into it in no time.

Twiggy, an hour is what I'm going to aim for. I have no idea if this is good or not, but it's the time I really want to achieve for at least.

Mrs Winkle I'm so sorry you've been plagued with injuries, I think it's always that much worse when the runner is very into it then has to stop. You was doing great, i'm sure with time you'll be there again. It must be a pain in the arse for you though.And I agree with Lannie*, I think with the work you're putting in you'll soon re-train yourself to run without fear or risk of injury. It can't be east now, but you'll get there. And you're NOT fat!

Bridget F, this is the route I started going down. Was doing really well with my running, then within a few weeks I felt like I threw it all away. Good luck for the race next week, I'm sure you'll do fine. Try and get out a few times between now and then.

CBH you're doing brilliantly. I can't imagine how hard it must be, but the fact that you're putting the work in to get there must mean you'll be back to normal in no time. There's nothing wrong with taking things slow, if you don't you'll be back to square one. but I'm really happy for you to hear you're progressing.

Mrs Cee, that's shit. Hope you recover from that soon.

BGB, well you know what i think about you. I have followed your threads here and on WL. You have done amazingly well. You should be so proud of yourself. In fact I was talking about you to my running partner today. She was like "so how do you know this man?", I changed the subject sharpish. ? Good luck with your half a marathon.

Thank you for your kind word Blossy, I too hope I can raise some money. I'm sure I will. I plan to torture family and friends. And 29 minutes is brilliant, you must have been buzzing when you finished (that is on a high not smelling).

Good luck for the 10k run MQ.

Excellent...fancy a carb filled/boozy lunch afterwards?

Well I now need new trainers - went out this evening for a 5k-er got half way round and could feel my insteps rubbing, another half mile and I had to take my shoes off and walk the rest of the way shoe - less.

Any recs for good running shops Hert/Beds/Cambs way?

Oh, and now I'm interested in the Birmingham HM. Is it the one in October? (madness since I can barely do 5k now)

I am running a 10k next Sunday. I did 8.3km on Monday, I reckon I'm going to finsh at a fairly slow 1 h 10 mins, but I'm aiming to knock 5 mins off my time if possible - we'll see. But I've done something to my sciatic nerve in my left leg. The doc told me legally he would tell me not to run for 6 weeks, but if I insist on doing the race I should take some pain killers beforehand and then rest afterwards. At least I know why my foot was going numb now...

October 26th - Bupa has a 12 week plan if you're only running 5k at the moment. We're going to have to make up t-shirts at this rate ?

Going good for me. I'm still on a bit of a high after managing to break the hour barrier for a 10k race. 59.59 but it's still less than an hour.

Just been to the school where Small will be going in september. I ran back from there, you know you're a runner when you drop your trousers in front of a car park full of people (it's ok I had shorts & compression socks on underneath) without batting an eyelid. Talk about making a good impression!

I'm going to sleep on it Baron.

Think I may register for a couple of 10ks in August/September and hopefully the HM too, but undecided

Fancy doing Blenheim 10k at the beginning of October? I believe our resident poultry expert has entered.

Liz - sounds like you're doing really well. What 10k are you doing?

Iris - fab time. I dream of running 10k in an hour ? I managed a mile at 9:30 pace earlier today before slowing down to a crawl for another couple of miles. Just to punish myself I then did some walk/run with the baroness to give her some support. I'm very, very tired.

I think I'm doing my local one on 5th Oct(Standalone), will hopefully drag Sairedy out with me. ?. I'm getting excited by this